


FOR THE WANT OF ALICE

by kingstoken



Category: John Wick (Movies)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-08-21 08:41:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16573313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingstoken/pseuds/kingstoken
Summary: "he told me he didn't want you to do a job, but to stop you from doing a job."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PajamaSecrets](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PajamaSecrets/gifts).



> Supposedly there was a deleted scene where John liked to restore antique children's books. I am not sure when this story is supposed to take place, maybe somewhere between the first and second film.

Jimmy was bent over picking up some tools, when he straightened up there was a man standing there.

"Jesus, you snuck up on me" he said, taking a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart.

"You know you didn't have to come down here, I could have told you everything you needed to know over the phone."

"I was curious" replied John Wick, "So, you want to fill me in."

"Guy's name is Glenn Tabases."

"How'd he get my name?"

"Don't know, but the guy is bonkers rich, so he must have some connections."

"How did he make his money?"

"Computer software, has big time contracts with the Department of Defense. Look, the guy offered me a 2008 Mclaren, just to contact you."

"Which you refused."

"Sure."

"Uh huh, so where is it?"

"Out back. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with her yet, seems a shame to strip her." John and Jimmy shared a smile.

"You tell him I'm out of the business."

"I did, but he told me he didn't want you to do a job, but to stop you from doing a job." John raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Hey, if you're back in business full time now I would've appreciated a head's up." 

"I'll let you know. In the mean time I need a favor" he said, stepping aside to revel his faithful companion, Dog, sitting patiently a few paces behind him.

"No way, man. This isn't a doggy daycare."

""He's good, besides, he'll provide security for the place, keep the riff raff out" John said as he walked towards the door.

"If he keeps the riff raff out I won't have any customers" he yelled, but John was already gone, leaving Jimmy to stare down at his new canine companion.


	2. Chapter 2

Glenn Tabases took a sip of his rye, he sat at his desk reviewing expense reports, it was late, but this was the first opportunity he had to work all day. He heard the soft click of the door as a man slipped into the room. He hid his surprise as the man sat in the chair across from him.

"Mr Wick, I presume?" The man nodded.

"How many of my security team did you have to take out in order to get in here?"

"Quite a few, but none lethally." 

"You know you could have just called my assistant and made an appointment."

"I could have, but I like to see what I'm up against."

"And?"

"Not bad, better than most actually."

"I'm not sure how to feel about that" he said releasing a pent up breath. "Well, I guess we should get down to business. Mr Wick I believe you were contracted to perform a hit on Tommy Prolick and Maggie Tabases. Tommy's gone, but I want you to spare Maggie. I'm not sure how this works, but I am willing to offer you double whatever you were paid." When John looked like he was going to respond, Glenn stopped him.

"One other thing I'm willing to offer you" he opened his desk drawer, pulling out a battered and worn book, that looked like it could easily fall apart at any moment. He placed it on the desk. John gingerly picked up the book, he traced the embossed letters on the cover, _Alice Through the Looking Glass_.

"It's a first edition, signed by Lewis Carroll himself. It is in pretty terrible shape, but I've heard you can improve that." John reluctantly placed the book back on the desk.

"You've done your research."

"I have."

"Too bad it's wasted on me"

"I'm sorry?"

"This isn't my contract." Glenn swore virulently under his breath.

"I was so sure. You wouldn't lie to me Mr Wick."

"I have no reason to." Glenn sighed, resting his head on the palms of his hands, defeated for a moment.

"Who's Maggie? asked John, breaking the silence.

"My daughter" he said, raising his head.

"And Tommy Prolick?"

"Her lowlife boyfriend. He was killed one week ago. Someone used a high powered rifle to shoot him through the windshield, causing his car to go over a cliff. Maggie's lucky to be alive, she probably wouldn't be if a group of hikers hadn't seen the accident and called 911 right away. She's currently in the ICU, in critical, but stable condition, but the doctors think she's going to pull through."

"It sounds like the hit was on him not her, and she was just an unfortunate casualty."

"I thought so too, until 4 days ago, when someone tired to kill Maggie in her hospital room. I'd gone down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Two nurses noticed a strange man coming out of Maggie's room, they thought it was suspicious, so they checked and found that Maggie's IV had been tampered with, they stopped Maggie from receiving a lethal overdose. Now, I have a security team with her day and night."

"I'm sorry." After a moment of silence "Can I ask you something? If you thought I was your guy how come you didn't try and kill me right now?"

"Because it wouldn't solve my problem, not long term, anyways. I need to figure out who's behind this, and that's going to take time. Time I currently don't have." There was another moment of silence. "I don't suppose you could tell me who the assassin is?"

"No. However, it's not unheard of for someone to hire one assassin to stop another."

"Would you be interested in such a commission, Mr Wick?" John picked up the book and made his way back to the door.

"I'll contact you when it's done" he said, then closed the door gently behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

John drove his rental car down a tree lined driveway, passing a sign that read _Headwaters Hospice_. The building was an unprepossessing red brick, but it did have lovely gardens. He parked around the back. He got out and placed himself next to the employee entrance, standing so that he would be behind the door when it opened. A few minutes later when two employees exited he grabbed the door to prevent it from clicking shut and slipped into the building. He made his way down dark, quiet hallways until he found room 11. In that room, in a chair by the window, sat the wasted shell of a once great man.

"John, this is a surprise" he said.

"For both of us." John took a seat on the only other chair in the room. "This is not where I expected to find you, Nikolaj" he said, eyeing the IV pole and machine pumping fluids into the man's arm.

"How did you fine me?"

"Your neighbor, she was more than willing to let me know that you had been moved here."

"Old busybody" he said under his breath "No, I mean how did you know to look for me in this little rural burg?"

"You had a sister that lived in this area, did you not?"

"How did you ...? You know what, never mind" he sighed "Well, I guess a man's secrets are not always secret. So, I'm guessing you have not just come for a visit."

"No. A week and half ago a man was shot through his windshield and his car went over a cliff."

"Ah, I guess I should be flattered that you sought me out, but I'm afraid you're wrong this time John, it wasn't me."

"It's your MO."

"It is, but I can barely walk from the bed to this chair, let alone climbing cliffs. Feel free to ask the doctors and nurses."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Cancer, stage four. Started in my lungs, now it is pretty much everywhere."

"I'm sorry." They sat in silence for a moment "You know who is behind this don't you?" Nikolaj's lips twitched into a half smile.

"I might have an idea, but I have no reason to tell you, and before you think to do something vaguely threatening, know that I have nothing to be afraid of. I am already dying and all my loved ones have predeceased me."

"There must be something you want." Nikolaj thought for a long moment.

"There is. I want you to kill me." John stared at him in surprise.

"Nikolaj ..."

"What I am experiencing now is a slow and painful death. If only I had the guts to do it myself before I came here, but back then I still had hope, but now I have none, and the opportunity has been lost to me. But, to be killed by the infamous John Wick, that is a good way to go." John considered what he said for a long time before answering.

"Alright."

"A few years ago an associate of mine asked me to train a young man. The name he gave me was Eric Davidson, although I doubt it was his real one. Dirty blonde hair, brown eyes, a bit on the pudgy side, he looked like someone that should be living in his mother's basement. We spent three months together, until one day he just up and disappeared."

"Anything else you could tell me?"

"I think he might have been Canadian, there was nothing specific, just the way he spoke. I lived in Ontario and Alberta for awhile and there are local terms most Americans and other foreigners don't know. Also, he didn't finish his training, I didn't think he was near ready, but he must have disagreed."

A short time later John made his way back down the darkened hallways to the employee entrance. On the next shift rotation the nurses would find Mr Nikolaj Jensen with a snapped neck.


	4. Chapter 4

Eric climbed the steps of the converted Victorian, in which his place was located. After he entered his apartment it took only a moment for him to realize something was wrong. He reached for his gun, but it was already too late. There was a muffled bang, and then an explosion of pain in his right calf. As his leg gave out from underneath him someone grabbed his left arm, wrenching it back at an unnatural angle, and his gun was pulled from his hand. The man then keep one booted foot on his neck as he searched his person for other weapons, pocketing two knifes and an extra clip. 

"Who hired you to kill Tommy Prolick and Maggie Tabases?"

"I don't know what your talking about." The boot pressed a little harder on his windpipe, he struggled to catch his breath. After a interminable moment the pressure of the boot eased somewhat.

"Who hired you to kill Tommy Prolick and Maggie Tabases?"

"I ain't answering shit, and you don't have time for this, the cops will be here anytime."

"Really? And who is going to call them? There's only four units in this building, the young couple across the hall were the unexpected winners of tickets to the hottest new musical and a night at the Royal York. Mr Vinsky, your neighbor in the apartment directly below this one, is down at the local pub, and likely to stay there for a long while, because some guy is buying free rounds and chatting his ear off. That just leaves the elderly Mrs Brimmer, in the other downstairs apartment, she goes to bed at 8:30pm every night, and when she removes her hearing aids she is completely deaf."

"Guy, who the hell are you?"

"John Wick." Eric's eyes widened, he had heard of John Wick. He considered his options, they weren't good, but it sounded like he just wanted info, so maybe there was a slim chance he could get out of this alive.

"Armin Yusef, the name of the guy who hired me, he claims Prolick raped his daughter."

"Then why does he want Maggie dead?" Eric hesitated for a moment, John increased the pressure in his neck.

"He doesn't" Eric spit out, the pressure eased slightly. John Wick raised his eyebrow in question.

"She saw me, alright. When I looked over the edge of the cliff to make sure it was done she looked right up at me. I would have taken care of her then, but those stupid hikers arrived on the scene, there must have been like twenty of them."

"You're an idiot" John Wick said, as he raised his gun. 

"Hey, wait ...: But there was only a flash of pain, then eternal darkness.

* * *

Glenn Tabases glanced at his phone, he was receiving a call from an unknown number, normally he ignored such things, but something told him to pick up.

"Hello."

"It's done. There is no longer any danger to Maggie's life. She was never the intended target, he was just trying to tie up lose ends." A wave of relief washed through Glenn's body.

"Thank you, thank you. How do I transfer your payment?"

"No need, I have everything I want" said John, as he hung up the phone. He then turned his attention to the book on his work table, while Dog slept peacefully at his feet.


End file.
